


Illusions.

by Noblegas Xenon (NoblegasXenon)



Series: There's A Traitor In the Midst [14]
Category: Lego - All Media Types, Lego Ninjago
Genre: Character Death In Dream, Gen, Ronin is dreaming and it's a Wild Ride, people die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 02:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13671930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoblegasXenon/pseuds/Noblegas%20Xenon
Summary: A story from the past.





	Illusions.

Ronin tossed and turned in his sleep. He felt too warm and he was getting frustrated trying to sleep. He unwraps himself from the blankets, opting to try without it. He could see Morro resting through the night’s light and he just stares listlessly.

He falls asleep slightly covered by the blankets and a dream grips him. It’s the watercolor dream again but now, it’s darker and he can’t tell why. He reaches out for something and touches a table. It’s not like it usually was, it felt like an oil painting drying.

Something clatters behind him and he jumps. Turning around he sees that there is a red haired boy speaking quickly to a midnight black haired boy. Who were they? He couldn’t tell with the boy’s flowing silk clothing moving quickly in frantic speak. Something was wrong but what?

He realizes after one of them locks the door that they were hiding in a shed. It felt damp, and he trips over the wet floorboards. Laying down in quiet, he notices he can sees the auras of fear around them. It’s ethereal wisps that he’d almost mistake for fog. He hears shouting from outside and the red haired boy jumps.

The words become clearer before he even can be comfortable in the dream. “Kichiro! We shouldn’t stay here!” “But what do we have, they’ve barricaded outside.” “Then what should we do? I’m scared, Kichiro.” Kichiro must’ve been the black haired boy because he sighs in response.

“I don’t know, Tadao.” Tadao nearly screams and launches himself to a window but Kichiro stops him. “I don’t want to rot here. I thought they cared for us.”

“I do too but they just want power.” The conversation is cut short by a rock sailing through the window. They both shout and transform back into foxes running away through another window. He realizes this is the first time he’s seen them transform. Ronin is dragged with them by an invisible rope.

He stumbles and falls but they keep going so his hands and legs get scraped by the ground. He hopes he won’t bleed. He just sees the twelve tails- as both brothers has six tails whipping in the air. He sees the fright fly with the wind and he could do nothing.

The three just keep going and stop eventually upon a mountain. It’s enough time for them to revert back to their human forms but not enough time to completely hide. The brothers take to the trees and hide in the branches.

Ronin is left on the ground and he looks around. He dusts himself off and winces in pain. He felt bruised and beaten but none of it was their fault. He knew the feeling of running. He watches as they take a breath and break apart a single loaf of bread between each other. His stomach growls but neither pay attention. 

“Are they going to find us?” Tadao says in quiet as his fear takes a hold of him like a cage. Kichiro shushes him and hides farther into the tree. Ronin couldn’t do anything as a group of men come crashing into the forest.

Everyone of them were armored carrying with them all swords and crossbows. Ronin feared for them. “Wa- wait! Don’t hurt them!” He calls but none of them hear him for it was only a dream.

One of the oil painted men walks up to a tree, Kichiro’s tree from what he could tell. He’s carrying a large axe and begins chopping. One of the crossbows is leveled to aim at them. Ronin shouts and begs but none of them listen.

He almost doesn’t hear the shouting. “Get them! They’re above us!” “Now we’ll get our power.” “Just shoot!” And an arrows flies nearly hitting Tadao’s hand. Someone with an bow looks up to see them gone and motions them to follow him. Ronin climbs up the tree and jumps from branch to branch.

They all reach the last tree and many arrows were shot at once. Kichiro falls and lands thumping against the earth. Ronin could never forget the pained screaming from both the boys. And then a spear is thrown at the fallen boy, striking him in the chest. A moment of silence.

And then Kichiro uproots himself from the ground. Was he alive? No one could tell a thing from one another as he walked to the group, slow steady steps that brought fear to everyone.

“So this is what you do? After we help you? After we give you gifts and knowledge?” The spear is still lodged in him. He tears it from his chest and begins to warp it. The spear turning into a full long sword. Were those illusions? Ronin couldn’t speak unable to comprehend what was happening. “Perhaps you didn’t deserve it.” Kichiro’s anger flares up and turns darker by the shards of deep, deep betrayal. But it also became something else and he couldn’t tell. Kichiro becomes unreadable and then he strikes killing two of the men.

Tadao jumps down. “Brother? Are you fine?” He sounds uncertain, scared but his aura was weakening before Ronin’s eyes. Kichiro brings up a shield. “Yes.” Tadao gives him a look, his red hair flying in the wind.

“Did you have to bring the Sword?” There’s a silence but then he hears Kichiro’s response. “I’m not letting them kill either of us.”

“But to call it a mistake to help them?” He doesn’t answer, instead walking away. Tadao runs after him. “What are you doing? What if someone kills you? What if the Gods see?”

“Then let them.” And before he knows it, the scenes change into something else. By then Ronin could see the dark red of the blood and it’s covering Kichiro head to toe. Tadao is shouting.

“Please brother. Don’t do anymore of this! They have found out.” Kichiro looks up but doesn’t look at him. 

“Who have?” He says simply.

“The Gods! Who else?” Kichiro shrugs.

“So they have. Let them come.” His brother grabs him in a quick frantic motion. “Like hell I’m letting you die! Just calm down, we can do this. Together!” Tadao sobs out. Kichiro looks startled and doesn’t do anything, just freezing there as if time had stopped. There’s a calm stillness but then- A broadsword flashes from the sky and tears Kichiro apart.

The kitsune collapses in a heap and spider lilies start growing from underneath his body. Tadao gives a shocked scream and cries. The ground rumbles but no one moves. It’s just the three of them. Quietly, Tadao speaks to himself.

“I swear it, that you never deserved this. Neither of us did. They shouldn’t have killed you. They shouldn’t have!” The sky begins to rain as if crying but Tadao doesn’t care. They never quite had a part in the cycle of societies. Being outcasts, and now. Being traitors. “But I’m going to leave, disappear. I won’t let them kill me. They won’t find me.”

He uses a small knife and he cuts off a piece of Kichiro’s hair. Using a torch, Tadao burns Kichiro’s body then he vanishes. Ronin finally wakes up. It was still dark out but he had to guess it was at least four in the morning. He felt tired but he didn’t feel like he could sleep.

He sits up and moves out of the bed. Grabbing the wooden knife, he thinks about the dream. He hadn’t realized he dreamed them, he hadn’t realized his connection but he knows he won’t get answers. So he leaves it alone.


End file.
